"Christine" wrote in message
...
Class 458 won't be an option.

A bold statement - but on what do you base it? Several well-informed
colleagues in the industry are suggesting that this is exactly what is being
proposed.

But Class 375/376/377 in Metro variant
is a very strong possiblity. Designed to be dual voltage and there
could be surplus units in 2007 if the new SET franchise goes ahead
with the ludicrous plan to run trains on the CTRL to St Pancras, using
Bullet Trains, and remove the present Cannon Street mainliners!!

On current passenger projections the handful of spare Electrostars resulting
from this project (which hasn't a hope in hell of being ready for 2007
unless Hitachi recieve a signed contract imminently) would be required to
strengthen existing services. Not everyone who works on the south side of
the city will want to go to St. Pancras!

Jack Taylor wrote:
"Christine" wrote in message
...

But Class 375/376/377 in Metro variant
is a very strong possiblity. Designed to be dual voltage and there
could be surplus units in 2007 if the new SET franchise goes ahead
with the ludicrous plan to run trains on the CTRL to St Pancras,
using
Bullet Trains, and remove the present Cannon Street mainliners!!

On current passenger projections the handful of spare Electrostars
resulting
from this project (which hasn't a hope in hell of being ready for
2007
unless Hitachi recieve a signed contract imminently) would be
required to
strengthen existing services. Not everyone who works on the south
side of
the city will want to go to St. Pancras!

It's an interesting rumour nonetheless - the (rarely updated) ELLX
pages on the TfL website show a picture of a 376 to illustrate
"Proposed services" or somesuch. I still think that Junipers seem more
likely though, as I don't think there's any doubt that they will become
"properly" spare in the next couple of years.

"Rupert Candy" wrote in message
ups.com...

It's an interesting rumour nonetheless - the (rarely updated) ELLX
pages on the TfL website show a picture of a 376 to illustrate
"Proposed services" or somesuch. I still think that Junipers seem more
likely though, as I don't think there's any doubt that they will become
"properly" spare in the next couple of years.

I don't think that the 376 would be acceptable due to the lack of corridor
connections in the ends for emergency exit in the tunnels, they would have
to stick with the 375/377 design if they were to go down that road.

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 10:43:49 GMT, "Jack Taylor"
wrote:



On current passenger projections the handful of spare Electrostars resulting
from this project (which hasn't a hope in hell of being ready for 2007
unless Hitachi recieve a signed contract imminently) would be required to
strengthen existing services. Not everyone who works on the south side of
the city will want to go to St. Pancras!

Fully agree with you here. The time saved going into St Pancras is
then added on getting back to the city by Underground. No doubt the
'Bullet' service will be charge as a premium service, so the extra
cost for probably a same time journey won't be worth it!

Life without sex just isn't life.
Make love not war!

Christine wrote:
On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 10:43:49 GMT, "Jack Taylor"
wrote:

[CTRL]
On current passenger projections the handful of spare Electrostars resulting
from this project (which hasn't a hope in hell of being ready for 2007
unless Hitachi recieve a signed contract imminently) would be required to
strengthen existing services. Not everyone who works on the south side of
the city will want to go to St. Pancras!

Fully agree with you here. The time saved going into St Pancras is
then added on getting back to the city by Underground. No doubt the
'Bullet' service will be charge as a premium service, so the extra
cost for probably a same time journey won't be worth it!

What about changing at Stratford for the Central line / GE, assuming the
travelator is installed? Call it a 10 minute interchange at Stratford.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 23:09:58 +0000, Dave Arquati
wrote:

Christine wrote:
On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 10:43:49 GMT, "Jack Taylor"
wrote:

[CTRL]
On current passenger projections the handful of spare Electrostars resulting
from this project (which hasn't a hope in hell of being ready for 2007
unless Hitachi recieve a signed contract imminently) would be required to
strengthen existing services. Not everyone who works on the south side of
the city will want to go to St. Pancras!

Fully agree with you here. The time saved going into St Pancras is
then added on getting back to the city by Underground. No doubt the
'Bullet' service will be charge as a premium service, so the extra
cost for probably a same time journey won't be worth it!

What about changing at Stratford for the Central line / GE, assuming the
travelator is installed? Call it a 10 minute interchange at Stratford.

Even with a change at Stratford, there will be very little time gained
for the extra cost of fares involved. For example, it takes 35 minutes
from the Medway Towns into Cannon Street/London Bridge during the
peak! The 'bullet train' would have to crawl through Strood and then
manage 70 through the now reopened Strood/Higham tunnels, slow down
and no doubt a stop at Gravesend, then join the CTRL at Northfleet.
This would take 25 minutes without a stop at Gravesend, not forgetting
other train passenger and freight on the North Kent section of the
route. There is no scope to improve linespeeds either. Then depending
if it makes it's slot on to the CTRL probably another seven minutes to
Straford, ten to St Pancras. Very little gained.

Even the Ramsgate Ashfords to London would gain very little!

Life without sex just isn't life.
Make love not war!